Myrtle
by kissables333
Summary: He didn't understand her despite how much he wanted to. He didn't know, so he called her Moaning Myrtle and caused it all.  Double drabble form; drabble   100 words; 2 x 100   200 word chapters
1. Chapter 1

Update 43 of 89.

I'm in love with this story.

Updates of this story are going to come faster than my other stories because the story will be told in installments of double drabble. For those who don't know, a drabble is a work of fiction that is exactly 100 words. A double drabble is exactly 200 words.

So...here it is; note: for some reason, FF counts only 199 words in the actual writing part. On my computer it was 200 words so I'm going with that one. And the 200 words is, obviously, not including the author's note. :)

* * *

In 1943, a muggle-born witch was killed by Salazar Slytherin's basilisk in the second floor girls' lavatory at Hogwarts. Thirty-three years later, in 1976, a young witch named Myrtle died in the very same bathroom.

Exactly three people, aside from Myrtle herself knew the cause behind what had transpired on March 27th, 1976.

Albus Dumbledore was headmaster of Hogwarts in 1976. He knew everything that went on within the walls of Hogwarts. There were no secrets that were not revealed when one looked into his piercing blue eyes. To him, Myrtle Blyth was someone he couldn't save.

Amycus Carrow was a seventh year in 1976. By the time he had turned seventeen, he was on track to have a Death Mark burned into his arm. Amycus was cruel through and through and did not spare a passing thought for those who he hurt. He took what he wanted, when he wanted it—forcefully so. To him, Myrtle Blyth was just another victim.

Sirius Black was a fifth year in 1976. He was dashing and charming, not to mention he was mischievous and always in trouble. He made a mistake he could not take back. To him, Myrtle Blyth was everything.


	2. Chapter 2

Update 44 of 89.

Reminder: format is installments of double drabble :)

Once again, for some reason, FF counts only 199 words in the actual writing part. On my computer it was 200 words so I'm going with that one. And the 200 words is, obviously, not including the author's note. :)

* * *

In 1976, Myrtle Blyth was a quiet fifth year in Ravenclaw. She was hopelessly awkward and socially inept. She kept her long, dark hair into two pigtails. Her round glasses were always falling off of her faces.

Myrtle kept to herself. She didn't want to let anyone get close; they would just hurt her and leave, like her father did. Myrtle watched her parents fight her entire life. They always argued about something—even the smallest of things. Myrtle couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts so she could get away from her parents' failing marriage.

After her first year, she returned home to find only her mother. Her mother had explained that her father left and he wasn't coming back. After that, Myrtle's mother wasn't around much. Mrs. Blyth was always out drinking. Myrtle was alone. She swore to herself every night when she went to sleep that she would not be like her parents.

Sirius Black didn't know about Myrtle's family. He did not know that her parents were divorced and never around. He didn't know no one cared about Myrtle except him. If he had, he wouldn't have done what he did. He always regretted what he did.


	3. Chapter 3

Update 45 of 89.

Reminder: format is installments of double drabble :)

Once again, for some reason, FF counts only 199 words in the actual writing part. On my computer it was 200 words so I'm going with that one. And the 200 words is, obviously, not including the author's note. :)

* * *

Black and Blyth. It seemed that every professor Hogwarts enjoyed pairing students off by last name. Sirius and Myrtle were always paired together. Always.

Since first year, Sirius Black had always been paired with Myrtle Blyth. He found her to be awkward, but brilliant. She knew everything.

Sirius didn't understand how he could ever feel the way he did about her. Myrtle always wore her hair in the same style every day. She didn't wear make-up and she never tried anything different with her appearance. She didn't care what she looked like. She didn't care if she was pulling down her skirt to make it longer while all the other girls in their year were hiking them up to make them shorter.

By the time their third year came, the pair had fewer classes together. Sirius found himself searching out reasons to talk to Myrtle since he saw her less. He got her to tutor him.

There was something about Myrtle he couldn't put his finger on. He didn't understand why he felt so drawn to her; she wasn't beautiful, but when she smiled…when she smiled he lost control of his senses.

He always told her she should smile more.


	4. Chapter 4

**I really like writing this story.**

* * *

Sirius Black prided himself on being a lothario. He was not unaware of his effect on the opposite sex. Often, he took it for granted. Sirius had a way with girls—he'd flash a smile or tousle his hair and the girls would swoon.

Not Myrtle. She was different. He couldn't figure her out, even after all the time they spent together. Myrtle was not transparent to him.

Myrtle was a private person; she didn't share things about her family. She didn't share the torment of her father's abandonment or the pain of her mother's neglect with anyone—especially Sirius.

Despite all of the time she spent with the boy, she did not trust him. Myrtle was aware of the particular charms of Sirius Black. The very thing he prided himself on was what repelled her. She feared he would be like her father; she feared he would treat her the same way. Myrtle could not bring herself to trust Sirius.

When Sirius finally gathered the courage to ask Myrtle out, he did so in front of the entire Great Hall. He was sure she felt the same. However, he was met with embarrassment as she said no and fled.


	5. Chapter 5

**second update of the day for this story.**

* * *

In 1976, Sirius Black was a fifteen year-old boy who was ruled by his hormones, emotions, and anger. Parallel to his inflated opinion of himself, Sirius had an increased determination to avoid humiliation at all costs.

The boy had a twisted sense of justice; he wronged those who wronged him. It did not matter to him why Myrtle would refuse him. He did not consider why she did. The only thing on his mind was getting even. It made sense to him—she humiliated him so he _had _to humiliate her.

When a few sixth year Gryffindors taunted him during lunch for being rejected by 'geeky Myrtle,' he put his plan into action.

"Well, mates," Sirius had said, lowering his voice as if to impart a secret. "I dodged a bullet there, actually. Turns out, _quiet _and _innocent _Myrtle has slept with half the guys on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team." he noted that the older Gryffindors believed him. "It seems _Moaning Myrtle_ isn't so quiet and innocent after all."

The rumor mutated from there. By dinner, it had spread throughout the school that Moaning Myrtle would drop to her knees for any guy. By dinner, Sirius' humiliation had been forgotten.


	6. Chapter 6

**I like this one :)**

**last update of the day for this story.**

* * *

Myrtle knew she cared for Sirius Black. She feared just how much she cared for her fellow fifth-year because she knew his ways. Myrtle knew he would only hurt her; she could not take any more pain.

While eating that fateful March morning, Myrtle found Sirius Black standing before her. She had raised her eyebrows in confusion; Sirius had never seemed particularly keen on having their friendship known about publicly.

Myrtle didn't expect him to ask her to accompany him to Hogsmeade. She did not expect him to ask her—quiet, nerdy Myrtle—on a date. She did not expect it and so she stuttered out a no and fled.

Myrtle skipped lunch that day—wary of the unwanted stares she was sure she would draw. She had tried to find Sirius all day to explain to him but she couldn't find him. At dinner, she felt the stares of others on her and she heard their sniggers. She had expected those reactions. It was when she heard that name whispered in hushed tones that her stomach dropped and her heart thumped loudly in her ears. She looked up and by chance she met his eyes.

_Moaning Myrtle._

_Moaning Myrtle._


	7. Chapter 7

The rumors swirled around her. Everywhere she went she heard the whispered name. Girls glared at her. Girls looked at her as if she was nothing but scum—as if she was nothing but a cheap whore.

Myrtle wanted to pretend she was strong. She wanted to pretend that the glares and rumors that had only swelled with the passing time did not bother her. Myrtle wished she had enough courage to walk into the Great Hall every mealtime with her head held high because the rumors were not true.

She wished she could ignore the propositions of boys younger and older than her. She wished to unhear their disgusting words and wished to unfeel their gazes penetrating her.

She wished it was enough to know the truth herself but it was not. Myrtle wished the feeling of dread and pain that she awoke with every morning would disappear.

More than anything, Myrtle wished she had the courage to ask him why. She wanted the courage to demand an explanation for why he had done this to her. That was all. Myrtle wanted to know what she had done to him. Why did Sirius Black want to hurt her so?


	8. Chapter 8

March 27th, 1976.

The end came sooner than anyone expected. Not that anyone expected the end to come about so abruptly.

Every day had passed slowly for her. The students looked at her as if she was worthless. She _felt_ worthless.

Myrtle stopped going to meals. She couldn't take the stares of her peers; she couldn't take hearing their whispers. She, instead, went to the kitchens late at night—Sirius had taken her there before when they had gotten hungry while tutoring.

As she stepped inside the kitchen, she was met with a sight that made her halt. Sirius Black sat with a girl that had made a particularly nasty comment about Myrtle a week ago. The couple was eating the same food—lemonade and chocolate cake—that Myrtle and Sirius had always eaten together.

Myrtle could say nothing. She was mortified; all she could manage to do was stumble her way out of the kitchen as she felt his gaze on her.

He could make her feel worthless with just a glance. Not looking where she was going, Myrtle bumped into someone and fell to the ground. Looking up, she was met with the leering face of Amycus Carrow.


	9. Chapter 9

Her stomach dropped at the sight of him; out of instinct, she tried to crawl away from him but she felt his meaty hands grab her at the waist. He hauled her to her feet.

"Let go of me!" she demanded, panicked, as she tried to push out of his grasp.

He merely shoved her into the nearby bathroom. Once inside, she stumbled and fell to the tiled floor. Searing pain spread through her ankle; Myrtle tried to scramble to her feet but she could only whimper in pain as she tried.

"Stay away from me." she cried out in fear as he stalked over toward her; she crawled backward, not wanting to turn her back to him.

"Come on Moaning Myrtle," he chuckled cruelly as he hauled her to her feet again. "Don't you want to play?"

"No!" she screamed as he pushed her against the cold brick of the bathroom wall. She tried to struggle out of his arms but he would not let her go.

She tried to fight, but it was futile. She could not stop him as he stole what was not his to take. Myrtle felt worthless. She felt alone. She wanted to die.


	10. Chapter 10

Sirius grinned as he watched Lena walk into the second floor girls' lavatory. Myrtle had seen them together. It had been all a plan.

He _knew _Lena had said horrible things about Myrtle recently.

He _knew _Myrtle had taken to getting her meals in the kitchen.

He was glad at the look of hurt splayed across her face. He _wanted _to hurt her. He wanted her to be in pain—

A shrill scream met his ear suddenly; he burst through the door of the lavatory.

"Lena? What's—"

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think.

"Lena…go…go get help." he commanded urgently as his eyes scanned her motionless body.

Sirius fell to his knees beside her and panicked. _What was that thing muggles did to resuscitate people? _

He could only recall that he was supposed to compress on her chest with his hands locked together, just in the middle of her chest.

He did as he remembered but _nothing happened_.

"Myrtle…damn it Myrtle!" he panted as he continued his efforts. "Myrtle!"

His voice echoed in the empty bathroom. She was gone but he couldn't let her go.

Sirius felt the telltale trickle of liquid seep from his eyes. He was sobbing.

"_Myrtle_!"


	11. Chapter 11

"_Myrtle_! Damn it, Myrtle! Just wake up!" he yelled in between heavy pants as he tried and tried to make her stir.

All she had to do was open her eyes. Just open her eyes and everything would be fine.

Suddenly, Sirius felt two large, rough hands—Hagrid's hands—enclose around him and pull him away from her.

Sirius struggled, ignoring the humiliating tears streaming down his face.

"Let go of me!" he yelled.

"I have to help her!" he sobbed. "_Myrtle_!" The cry wrenched from his chest in the most pitiful of ways.

Dumbledore knelt beside the cold girl and placed his wrinkled fingers at her neck.

The headmaster met McGonagall's glance with a sad shake of his head.

"Why aren't you doing anything? Do something!" Sirius yelled as he trembled dangerously. "Save her!"

"It's too late—"

"No!"

He tried to reach her—to save her—but it was too late.

That night, he closed his eyes, fearful of seeing her body again. He trembled in bed. Finally, he gave up on the idea of resting and sat up in bed, but suddenly he jumped at what lay before him: Myrtle Blyth sat before him on his bed.


	12. Chapter 12

Sirius Black wept openly that night in the lavatory.

He was humiliated for it. He wouldn't allow her to take his pride away for a second time—especially from the grave.

And so he pretended. An outsider wouldn't have guessed the tragedy that occurred mere days before. An outsider wouldn't have known that the boy had not slept in days for every night the image of the girl appeared before him.

Professor Dumbledore, however, was not an unknowing outsider. He understood the internal pain of the young boy.

Numbly, Sirius sat opposite Dumbledore and kept his gaze on his hands.

"Sirius, I understand that you may feel guilt—"

"She killed herself, Professor. I hadn't a hand in it. If that's all, I'd like to get back to my—"

The boy stood to leave, "Sit down, Sirius." Slowly the boy complied. "Is that how you really feel, Sirius?"

"She killed herself," Sirius repeated. "I didn't do anything."

Dumbledore appraised the boy from behind his spectacles. "Very well. You may go."

Sirius was about to leave when he paused with his hand above the doorknob.

"It doesn't mean anything," he began softly, "…but I keep…seeing her." Sirius muttered. "Every night."


	13. Chapter 13

The wizened headmaster stepped into the deserted girls' lavatory. No student had stepped into it since Miss Blyth's death; they were frightened.

"Miss Blyth," he said softly, "may I see you, please?"

Nothing happened, for a moment. Then the apparition appeared.

She looked exactly the same, except that she was hedging transparency.

"Professor Dumbledore." she murmured as she floated before him.

"When Mr. Black mentioned seeing you, I had a hunch that his sightings were not born out of madness."

The ghost said nothing.

"Why have you not told Mr. Black that you chose to become a ghost? Why let him believe he is merely seeing things?"

"I want to haunt him until he admits it, Professor."

"Admits what, Miss Blyth?" The headmaster questioned.

"He told you that he had no hand in this. He didn't hold the wand to my head but his hands certainly aren't clean."

* * *

The following day, Sirius Black was relaxing in the prefects' bathroom. He had coerced the password from a blushing prefect.

A feminine cough drew his attention. Hardly one to be embarrassed, Sirius lazily opened his eyes, making no attempt to cover himself.

He jumped however as his eyes adjusted.

"Myrtle!" he spluttered.


	14. Chapter 14

"Sirius."

"This isn't happening," he murmured to himself as he sunk deeper into the bubbles of the bathtub, suddenly embarrassed to be disrobed before…before his own delusion. "This isn't happening. It's because I haven't slept."

"You can't pretend I'm not here, Sirius." the ghost giggled.

Oh god, oh god, oh god. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't be losing his mind.

"You aren't real." he murmured to himself. "This is just my imagination." he shook his head softly as he grabbed his towel off the floor.

"You can't ignore me Sirius. You certainly didn't try to do that when I was alive…at least not in the beginning."

Oh god, this figment of his imagination even sounded like her. It had only been a few days. Why couldn't the memory of her leave him alone?

"I'm losing my mind." he muttered.

"Clearly, if you're talking to yourself." she quipped.

"Shut up! I'm not going to fight with my own imagination."

A cynical smile graced the lips of the ghost. "Sorry, am I not good enough conversation? Should I do what I'm good at and moan?"

"Stop! Stop! You're not real."

"You wish." the ghost smiled as it faded from his view.


	15. Chapter 15

The entire school was assembled and dressed in black for Moaning Myrtle's funeral. Myrtle herself floated unnoticed above the students as Dumbledore spoke hollow words about friendship and compassion.

She had scanned the crowd for one face and he was not there.

* * *

He was standing in the back of the Great Hall, under James' invisibility cloak. He was leaning against the cold stone wall of the Hall as silent tears streamed down his face. He couldn't let anyone see him like that.

* * *

He found himself walking to the lavatory before the funeral was over.

No one had been in there. Everyone was too frightened or too respectful to troll the place she died.

The door clicked shut loudly behind him in the empty room. He fixated on the spot she was found.

She had killed herself.

He had not held the wand to her head.

He had not killed her.

He didn't have anything to do with it.

But he wanted to know why she did it. Why didn't she talk to anyone? Why didn't she tell anyone?

He pretended he didn't have the answer that question, but he knew. The only person she spoke to had let her down.


	16. Chapter 16

He couldn't sleep. The one he closed his eyes and laid his head on his pillow he heard her voice whispering to him, calling out to him.

"_What did I ever do to you?"_

"_You killed me. You did it!"_

"_It's your fault! Yours!"_

Not able to stand the whispers any longer, he would open his eyes night after night and be met with her translucent image before him. He was losing his mind. And that was why he found himself in Professor Dumbledore's office in the middle of the night.

"She's dead, Professor; it's my fault."

"Sirius, you've said yourself that— "

"I drove her to it! I started the rumor! That's why she—…it's because of what everyone was saying about her but it was a lie!"

"Your guilt does not make you—"

"No! She would not have just killed herself! I would have noticed the signs! I would have known!"

"Sirius, it's probable that Miss Blyth had her own secrets—"

"No! It's my fault! That's why I keep seeing her. That's why I'm losing my damn mind."

Dumbledore hesitated, "Sirius, I believe you should know that Miss Blyth remains at the school as a ghost."


	17. Chapter 17

He stormed from Dumbledore's office, intent on one destination. He thundered into the lavatory, disturbing its quiet sanctuary.

"Myrtle!"

No response.

"I know you're here, Myrtle!"

She floated down from the ceiling and said airily, "You called?"

"What are you playing at, Myrtle? You let me think I was going crazy—"

"You told everyone I was a whore. Somehow I think what you did is worse."

"I…"

"What? No rumors to start now?" she turned her back him.

"Myrtle…" his voice was soft and pathetic. Nearly pleading. "I didn't mean—"

"I don't care."

* * *

She was surprised to find him standing before her; she ignored him.

"Why did you do it?" he asked quietly.

"Why did you?"

"I'm stupid." he murmured.

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Look—"

"What was it? Did you not want to lose face with your friends? Were you embarrassed? I'm sure my embarrassment was far more."

"Let me explain!"

"I'm not stopping you."

"Myrtle, You were not like the other girls. You were not…" he searched for words that he could not find.

"I was not what? Beautiful? "

"No! No…you…you were not…transparent."

The ghost scoffed. "Am I transparent enough for you now?"


	18. Chapter 18

He tried again, wanting desperately to make her understand but he couldn't seem to get his words right. "I never…I didn't understand you. I didn't…"

The ghost shook her head, "You didn't want to—"

"That's a lie, Myrtle! I wanted to know everything about you and you never gave me the chance! You never let me in! You pushed me away every chance you could! I tried! I tried to get closer to you for years and you never trusted me!"

"Well I was right, wasn't I?"

Breathing heavily, he looked up at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

'I was right to not to trust you. Look what you did," she spat angrily. "You told everyone that I was a slut! You told everyone that I would fuck any guy that looked my way!"

He stammered, "I…I…"

"You what, Sirius?"

"I was mad, alright? You had just rejected me in front of everyone and I was embarrassed! I put myself out there for you and you shot me down!"

"And I tried to find you. I wanted to explain but you never gave me a chance to. By dinner, you had already spread the rumor!" she shouted.


	19. Chapter 19

"I am sorry."

"What good is that to me?" she spat out; she didn't want to admit that she thought he really did mean it.

"I asked you out, Myrtle and you said no. I was…I…"

"I hurt you." she said slowly, realizing he couldn't admit to the weakness.

"No!" he fought back out of instinct but when he met her gaze, he found he couldn't lie to her. "Yes…and I wanted you to hurt too."

"Well you got what you wanted." she shrugged, pretending she didn't care when he was the only one who ever mattered to her.

"No, I really didn't." he murmured.

Days and weeks passed slowly to her. She had nothing to do to pass the hours. Being a ghost wasn't all that entertaining. She hid herself away from the students of Hogwarts, not wanting to be seen by anyone except him.

Every day he came to visit her. Some days he didn't say anything, he just sat on the stone floor. Other days he tried to get her to talk.

But it was building up in him. He had to know; he had to understand why she would do it.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.


	20. Chapter 20

"What happened?"

"When?" she shrugged noncommittally.

He rolled his eyes. "When else? When you d-died…?"

"I killed myself."

He flinched. "I—"

"It's what happened, Sirius. Don't try avoiding it by using euphemisms. I did it. I ended it."

"And I want to know why! Myrtle, why would you—?"

"That's none of your concern, Sirius." she floated away from him, higher up toward the ceiling.

"I need to know!" he yelled, unable to stop her.

"Why?" she whirled around, her transparent particles moving, "It doesn't matter."

"Because…because you—"

"It doesn't matter, Sirius. I'm dead. Knowing why won't change that."

"Please, Myrtle, tell me!"

"Why do you care?"

"I— I— can't explain why—."

"Because you don't, Sirius. You want closure, okay? That's all. You don't want to know why. You don't want to keep coming back here. You just feel guilty. And you're starting to bother me."

"Myrtle—"

"I thought I would get revenge by making you think you're crazy, but now you're just bothering me! You want closure? You can have it and now you can stop bothering me!"

"No! You're still mad! You still blame me! You're just trying to get me to stop asking!"


	21. Chapter 21

"It doesn't matter!" she yelled at him.

"Yes, it does!"

"Why? You say it matters but you can't tell me why!"

"It hurts too much. If I say it, it will be true and then…there will never be any chance…"

"Any chance of what? Why does it matter?"

"It matters because you meant everything to me and now you're dead!" he yelled; his words were filled with anger, but he didn't know who he was angry with. The guilt was driving him crazy. He knew he had caused her unhappiness and his own.

Her for putting the wand to her head? Himself for pushing her to it?

"You're dead, Myrtle." he whispered. "And I didn't. So of course I feel guilty. I killed you. I cared about you, more than anyone else and I let the rejection I felt control me. I hurt you. I let you down. So I think I deserve to know how it happened. I deserve to have that moment in time stuck in my mind forever. Because I deserve to suffer for what I did to you."

"Sirius, I can't—"

"Myrtle, please. I know you are hiding something. Please tell me."

She was afraid.


	22. Chapter 22

"What happened that night?" His voice was soft and pleading in the cold lavatory.

"Sirius, you do not want to know." Her voice was trembling terribly.

"Myrtle, please." There was a sharp desperation in his voice that chilled her to her transparent core.

"If I…If I tell you…you have to promise not to…do something stupid." The possibilities of his actions paraded through her mind, each more foolish of him than the last.

"Myrtle—"

"Sirius, promise me." The hard urgency in her voice made him wary to agree, but he needed to know.

"Fine."

"That night, I saw you and Lena together…it hurt me." Sirius looked away in shame.

"I left the kitchen and I wasn't watching where I was going. I…I ran into someone."

"Who?" he said through clenched teeth.

"Amycus Carrow." she whispered. "He…he…I tried to get away…but he grabbed me and dragged me into the lavatory. I tripped, sprained my ankle. He asked…asked if I…wanted to play."

Sirius' hands had curled into fists—his knuckles whitening from the pressure.

"I said no…but he didn't…didn't care. He called me 'Moaning Myrtle' and he…forced me…to…" she trailed off, unable to whisper the truth.

Sirius stood up forcefully.

"Sirius, no!"


	23. Chapter 23

She soared through the air and stopped just before the door, blocking the doorknob.

He stuck his hand right through her stomach to reach the handle.

He froze and merely stared at his arm as it impaled her stomach. He was cold and shivering now.

"Do not do it. You promised." she whispered.

"He can't get away with this. He killed you! He…he raped you and then he murdered you!"

"He didn't kill me. I didn't finish the story." she said softly, pleadingly.

"What happened?" he murmured as he pulled his arm away from the doorknob and away from her.

"After he left me in the lavatory…I felt…worthless and horrible and…like I deserved to be called Moaning Myrtle. And I didn't want to live anymore. I wanted to die so I found my wand and I held it to my head and I said the curse. Did not really have much choice in coming back. It was decided for me."

"Tell someone!"

"No."

"Myrtle—"

"Look, now you know. You have closure. You do not have to come around anymore."

"You think I have been coming here for weeks just to know what happened?"

"What other reason could you have?"


	24. Chapter 24

He returned, bloody and bruised.

"You promised." she whispered.

"I lied."

"He's much bigger than you." she said, eyeing the particularly nasty gash above his eye.

"He's much bigger than you." he countered back; that fact seemed to make him even more incensed.

Myrtle was silent as she reached out slowly to run her grey, transparent fingers down his bruised cheek.

When her fingers hit his skin, they went right through. He shivered at the icy feeling that overtook him.

He had forgotten what she was now.

The truth struck him suddenly and it felt as if someone was twisting a blade in his gut. He would never feel her warm embrace. He could never hold her hand. Taking in the look on her face, he knew she was thinking the same thing.

"I forgot." she murmured.

"Myrtle…" he said, reaching out to her but she flinched away.

"You can't touch me." she murmured. "You should go."

He moved toward the door, but turned to her at the last moment. "You asked what other reason I could've had for being here. I told you that you mattered to me, but I didn't say it right…I'm in love with you, Myrtle."


	25. Chapter 25

He came back every day. And every day she hid from him, quivering at the sight of his black hair and troubled eyes.

Just as before, he sat in silence some days. Some days he spoke.

At first, he pleaded with her to tell someone. He threatened to tell someone himself, but he really couldn't for he knew she would never stand to be in the same room with him again if he did. To his pleas, she only replied that she did not want anyone to know and that no one would believe her anyway. She swore it was too late.

That phrase was horrifying to him. 'It is too late.'

Too late to matter. Too late to change a thing.

Too late.

Too late.

Too late.

It horrified him because that's what he was. Too late with his apology. Too late with his love.

He had said that she had never let him in, but he had never let her in either. So he began telling her about his life from his spot on the lavatory floor.

Sirius told her everything, especially how he hated his family and loved his friends.

And she told him everything in return.


	26. Chapter 26

Summer holidays came and he hardly knew what to do with himself. He didn't know how to say goodbye—he couldn't touch her; he only had words and they were hardly enough.

As the door banged open, he wasn't sure what he expected. Nothing had changed. He still could not hold her.

Since the night he had admitted that he loved her, nothing had been said about it. He knew she didn't believe him; he thought maybe she didn't want to believe him.

He visited her religiously, never telling his friends where he was going. Days turned to weeks, and then months. His sixth year faded into his seventh year and suddenly he was on the cusp of leaving Hogwarts forever—looking two years older, while she, and his feelings, remained unchanged.

"So this is goodbye." she murmured as she floated before him. She could not keep the sadness off her face.

"I…I guess it is." He wanted to tell her again. He wanted to make her believe that he really did love her. But he knew it was futile.

He reached his hand out to caress her cheek but she flinched away from him and disappeared from his view.


	27. Chapter 27

Years passed and Myrtle took over the identity of the girl that had died in the very same lavatory, thirty-three years before her. That girl had been murdered by the beast that lived in the Chamber of Secrets; Myrtle took the girl's story as her own.

The name 'Moaning Myrtle' stuck. It was how the students of Hogwarts referred to her. She tried her very best to not think of him, but couldn't help it most days. She found herself flooding the lavatory, wishing she could shed tears over him.

Sirius Black was a murderer. He had betrayed his best friends and killed another of them. He was wasting away in Azkaban. The thought of him tormented her as it always had.

And then, he escaped.

Before she knew it, he was standing before her in their lavatory.

He looked ragged and thin; his once handsome features had become hidden in the gauntness of his face. There was an undeniable madness in his years.

She was trembling.

It had been years and the first thing he said was, "You haven't changed."

"You killed all those muggles!" she screamed.

"Myrtle, I didn't!" he scrambled, "I swear. Believe me!"

And she did.


	28. Chapter 28

He stood before her barely a vestige of what he once was. And she was exactly the same.

Time had not changed her—it couldn't. Time had preserved her and destroyed him.

"In Azkaban, you forget everything good. The Dementors pass by and they suck the happiness away from you every day. You deteriorate; you lose your soul until you only remember the pain and heartache—"

"Sirius, you—"

"Do you know what I was left with in the end?"

The ghost shook her head.

"The sight of your body on this floor. The look on your face when you saw me with Lena. The pain I caused you. It was the only thing I could think of. You haunted me."

"Sirius, please—"

"I had dreams where I'd run into this lavatory and see your body. I'd try and I'd try to save you but I couldn't. You slipped through my fingers again. I let you go again. I lost you again and again. I'd awake to nothing but the knowledge that I could never hold you. I awoke every morning to the knowledge that I never deserved you anyway and that you never deserved any of this."


	29. Chapter 29

"It wasn't just you." she had realized that in the years that had passed without him. "It was my parents and Carrow and _me_. I gave up—"

"I could have saved you if I hadn't been so stupid." he swore.

"If it hadn't been you, it would've been someone else, some other reason. I would've found a reason, Sirius."

When he reached out a hand to her, she did not flinch. She closed her eyes and pretended she really could feel his fingertips graze across her skin.

"I love you." she whispered, knowing it was true. 

The years passed and no one visited Moaning Myrtle. The story remained that she was the ghost of the girl murdered in the lavatory years and years ago by the beast from the Chamber of Secrets.

That was all for them. That was their end. Sirius Black crossed over unwillingly through the veil—he had left her without a choice in the matter. Myrtle Blyth was left to haunt the hallways of Hogwarts by herself—pining forever.

Their destinies were intertwined but they were not slated to be together. From their beginning to their tragic end, they were destined to be apart forever.


End file.
